Study: 90 Percent of Brands Invisible in AI Search Responses

Image credit: Search Engine Journal

GLOBAL — A new study by digital marketing firm Victorious reported that nearly 90 percent of brands lacked any mention in artificial intelligence (AI) search responses during the first quarter of 2026, despite growing industry focus on AI visibility.

The findings contradict widespread discussion about AI’s impact on brand presence, indicating a significant early opportunity for companies to establish their visibility within emerging AI search platforms, Victorious said.

The study analyzed 107,011 AI responses across eight prominent platforms, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Google AI Overview, Google AI Mode, Microsoft Copilot, Claude, and Meta AI.

Out of 177 brands examined across five industry verticals, 89.8 percent registered zero AI search mentions in the first three months of 2026.

AI visibility patterns varied significantly by industry, with certain sectors showing consistent engagement while others remained largely absent from AI-generated content.

Brands in healthcare, Software as a Service (SaaS), and financial services were consistently mentioned and cited by AI platforms, suggesting these industries have content that AI models deem authoritative.

For instance, financial services brands like MarketWatch, Bankrate, and NerdWallet were frequently cited, indicating a high level of trust in their content by AI systems.

E-commerce and retail brands, including Amazon, were often mentioned but rarely cited directly, with AI platforms typically sourcing information from broader marketplaces and aggregators.

Legal services brands, conversely, were frequently cited for their content but rarely mentioned by name, implying AI platforms trusted the information provided but not specific firms.

The study utilized data from Semrush and other tools to track brand mentions and citations within AI responses, providing a comprehensive overview of the current AI search environment.

Victorious stated that the low overall brand visibility in AI search highlights a significant gap between industry perception and actual performance, urging brands to adapt their SEO strategies to include AI optimization.

Source: Search Engine Journal